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Nicol MR, Joshi A, Rizk ML, Sabato PE, Savic RM, Wesche D, Zheng JH, Cook J. Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacological Properties of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in the Context of COVID-19 Infection. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2020; 108:1135-1149. [PMID: 32687630 PMCID: PMC7404755 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.1993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are quinoline derivatives used to treat malaria. To date, these medications are not approved for the treatment of viral infections, and there are no well‐controlled, prospective, randomized clinical studies or evidence to support their use in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). Nevertheless, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are being studied alone or in combination with other agents to assess their effectiveness in the treatment or prophylaxis for COVID‐19. The effective use of any medication involves an understanding of its pharmacokinetics, safety, and mechanism of action. This work provides basic clinical pharmacology information relevant for planning and initiating COVID‐19 clinical studies with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, summarizes safety data from healthy volunteer studies, and summarizes safety data from phase II and phase II/III clinical studies in patients with uncomplicated malaria, including a phase II/III study in pediatric patients following administration of azithromycin and chloroquine in combination. In addition, this work presents data describing the proposed mechanisms of action against the severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus–2 and summarizes clinical efficacy to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie R Nicol
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Abhay Joshi
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Matthew L Rizk
- Quantitative Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Merck & Co Inc, Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA
| | - Philip E Sabato
- Quantitative Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Merck & Co Inc, Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA
| | - Radojka M Savic
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Jenny H Zheng
- Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Jack Cook
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, Global Product Development, Pfizer Inc, Groton, Connecticut, USA
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